The Alpha's Mate

{3}

Authors pov

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As Jake cleaned his room, his mind kept drifting back to the locket and the mysterious woman in the photograph. Who was she? Why did her face feel so familiar, yet completely unknown? The questions swirled in his mind, distracting him from the task at hand.

He picked up the locket again, his fingers tracing the delicate engravings along the edge. The woman's kind eyes and gentle smile stirred something deep inside him-a feeling he couldn't quite place. She seemed important, like she held a piece of the puzzle he'd been missing his whole life.

Jake sat down on the bed, the weight of the locket in his palm grounding him. He stared at the photo, searching for clues, but there was nothing more to be found in the small image. The note, however, echoed in his mind: "You are strong, you are worthy, and you are loved."

It was the first time anyone had ever told him those words, even if it was from someone he didn't know. The locket felt like a message from the past, a piece of his story that had been hidden from him.

Jake sighed, leaning back against the headboard. He needed answers. But where could he even start? His parents certainly wouldn't know anything-or worse, they might not even care. The locket was a connection to someone, someone who believed in him, and he wasn't going to let that go.

Maybe it was from someone in his family he didn't know about. A relative, perhaps? His thoughts wandered to his mother's side of the family, whom he'd never met. She never spoke about them, and Jake had always assumed there was a reason for that. Could this woman be connected to them?

He shook his head, frustrated by the lack of direction. He needed more information, but it felt like every door was closed to him. But he couldn't just let this go. The locket was the first thing that had given him a sense of hope in years, and he was determined to find out more.

Jake's gaze drifted toward his bedroom door. His parents were still downstairs, likely oblivious to the turmoil going on inside his head. Maybe, just maybe, there was something in the house-an old photo album, a forgotten letter-that could help him find out who this woman was.

Taking a deep breath, Jake slipped the locket into his pocket. He quietly left his room and headed down the hall toward the attic. If there were any family secrets hidden away, they were likely up there, gathering dust. And Jake was ready to uncover them.

---

After finishing his chores in the room, Jake stood at the doorway for a moment, gazing back at the now neatly organized space. The locket weighed heavily in his pocket, a reminder of the unresolved questions swirling in his mind. But for now, those thoughts would have to wait. His stomach growled, and the ever-present demands of his parents loomed over him.

He made his way downstairs to the kitchen, moving quietly in case his mother or father was nearby. He couldn't afford another scolding today. As he opened the refrigerator, he began gathering ingredients to prepare lunch-something simple that wouldn't take too much time. Sandwiches, maybe. He wasn't in the mood to put more effort than necessary into a meal no one would thank him for.

The sound of the knife slicing through bread filled the kitchen as he worked, his hands moving mechanically. His mind, however, wandered back to the locket. He couldn't shake the feeling that this small object was the key to something bigger-something he needed to understand about himself and his past.

After finishing the sandwiches, Jake placed them on the counter and covered them with a plate. His parents would find them when they were ready to eat, and he wasn't planning to wait around to hear their usual dismissive comments. They never really acknowledged his efforts anyway, treating his work as an expectation rather than something to be appreciated.